He Tried
by xotakux2002x
Summary: when itachi sees the look in kisame's eyes, he attempts to change things so the pained expression will disappear. kisaita, fluff, oneshot


For the longest time, Itachi Uchiha couldn't have cared less about his well being. He was a cold blooded killer, stoic by nature and someone who feared neither heaven nor hell. Overusing his Sharingan, take a knife to the gut, being burned, beaten, or otherwise harmed; none of it seemed to affect the weasel. In his mind's eye, everyone was going to die in the end; the only variable was when, and by what means.

Kisame, on the other hand, cared deeply for the Uchiha. When he saw his partner in pain, or weakened from overexertion, a knot would form in his stomach, and a concerned look would take over his face. This bothered Itachi greatly. He didn't mind being in pain, but seeing Kisame suffering was another matter altogether.

And so he tried to take better care of himself.

He'd walk off the battlefield with fewer scrapes, more chakra, and overall was in much better shape. Kisame would still respond to the few wounds on his body with equal distress, which only made Itachi feel that much worse.

And so he tried harder.

Itachi worked himself to become better than ever. His already flawless maneuvers became even more refined; his pinpoint accuracy never once faltered. He would train for hours on end with anyone he could get his hands on, and soon the weasel would leave the fights with only a few scratches. But despite all his efforts, his partner still held sadness in his eyes when he saw the Uchiha.

So Itachi tried even harder.

He ate better, and consumed more food than usual to boost his near-anorexic figure up to normal body weight. His normal sleep routine, which consisted of resting only a few hours every few days or so, was altered to give him sleep every day. He even took the advice of the other Akatsuki members, and began taking breaks to read or relax every now and again. Anything to make the pain in Kisame's eyes disappear.

After a few weeks of this new lifestyle, the sad look on Kisame's face vanished, returning only on the rare occasions when Itachi became injured in battle. The Uchiha was incredibly joyful to see this change in his partner, but said nothing. Mainly because he was afraid of what would happen if he brought the subject up around the shark.

Several months passed, and the duo were eventually sent on a difficult, near impossible mission that left both of them worn out and bleeding on the battlefield. Their injuries demanded immediate attention, and simply couldn't wait until they returned to the Akatsuki base.

And as they were recovering there on the battleground, sitting amidst countless bodies and bleeding from numerous wounds, Itachi tried his hardest to voice the question he'd been longing to ask Kisame for ages.

He succeeded. "Why do you always look so sad?" he inquired softly as Kisame bandaged up the weasel's arm.

"Hmmm?" Upon hearing the question the shark glanced up at Itachi's face. "What are you talking about?"

"Whenever I end up hurt, you're the one who looks pained," Itachi clarified. "Why is that?"

Kisame looked back down to the Uchiha's limb, and continued his work in silence. The stillness pressed on for what seemed like forever, and Itachi was about to repeat himself when Kisame spoke again. "I didn't think you'd noticed," he muttered softly, eyes still not looking up to meet his partner's.

"My eyes see all," Itachi calmly replied, hoping that Kisame would offer more of an answer than that.

The shark finished his bandage job before tilting his head up at Itachi. "You have no idea how fragile you look, do you? Like someone could snap you in half without breaking a sweat. And you don't help all that much by walking around and acting like you wouldn't mind dropping dead."

Itachi raised a brow, but let the shark continue. "You've started to take better care of yourself lately, but you still seem so breakable to me." Kisame paused and blinked a few times. Slowly, as if uncertain if it was the right thing to do, his hand moved the Itachi's upper arm, and came to rest just above the gauze wrapped around the Uchiha's wounds.

Itachi made no movements or audible sounds, which encouraged Kisame to go on. "Sometimes, I don't want you to be fighting," he admitted as his hand moved to rest on top of Itachi's shoulder. "Sometimes, I wish I could forget the fight and keep you safe," he murmured, fingers now sliding to gingerly brush against the side of Itachi's neck. "Because all the time, I want to protect you," Kisame finished as his hand moved to cup the Uchiha's cheek.

Itachi neither said nor did anything for a few moments. Kisame was waiting for a reply, and a single wrong word could and would cause everything that had transpired over the last few months to blow up in their faces.

Itachi tried his hardest to figure out what to say.

Finally, he shut his eyes and let out a soft sigh, prior to opening them again. "It's foolish to care about my welfare," he cautioned, leaning gently into the shark's touch. "When either one of us could die at any moment, affections are equivalent to madness," he added, gently wrapping his own hand around Kisame's. "But nothing is more insane than returning those feelings." His words spoken, Itachi leaned forward and kissed his partner on the lips.

And as he felt Kisame's free arm slip around his waist, puling him closer into the deepening kiss, Itachi vowed that he would not just try, but _do_ everything he could to make Kisame happy; to prevent Kisame from worrying about him; and above all else, to simply be with the man he loved.


End file.
